Hearing Restoration Surgery

If it were possible to examine your stapes before you had a hearing loss, we would have seen tiny particles of bone around the stapes. These bone particles, which are not present around a normal stapes, gradually grow until they eventually stop the movement of the stapes. Usually, it takes many years before this hardening process stops the stapes from carrying sound to the hearing nerve. 

Otosclerosis may involve other parts of the inner ear as well as the stapes. Otosclerosis, wherever it is found, can give off a toxic substance that damages the hearing nerve and causes a nerve hearing loss. Nerve hearing losses are permanent and cannot be restored by surgery or medicine. Another consequence of a nerve hearing loss is ear and head noises. These noises might sound louder when a person is tired, nervous or in a quiet place. The amount of ringing is not necessarily related to the amount of hearing loss. Very rarely does Otosclerosis alone cause total deafness. 

TREATMENT OF OTOSCLEROSIS

For many years, there was little help for the patient with otosclerosis. However, as the result of research, an operation was developed to restore the hearing in patients with Otosclerosis. This operation is known as "stapedectomy." Former operations on the stapes, such as fenestration or stapes mobilization, have proven to be unsatisfactory. Because stapedectomy has a high rate of success, we now recommend stapedectomy for patients with otosclerosis. 

In some patients, as mentioned before, the toxin from the otosclerosis will cause a nerve hearing loss. A specialized x-ray will usually show the extent of the Otosclerosis. Medical treatment can prevent this type of nerve hearing loss from getting worse. In your case, if we suspect nerve hearing loss from Otosclerosis, we will recommend this special x-ray